XIII Hours and the house
by Ramdom-ness
Summary: For Halloween: Sokka and his friends think it's just a joke. 24 hours in the house, it can't really be haunted. And anyway, Aang is the bridge between their world and the spirits'. So, he would know if something was up, right? Wrong!


Thanks for stopping by.

So, here's the drill: one chapter for each hour, I guess. And I found some things on omens that I will probably fit into the story. Credits to a story I read before based on something like this..(written some time ago but I forgot what the story was.)

Hopefully I finish this before Halloween. Haha. Something you can sink your teeth in. :))

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**Disclaimer: I write a letter to Santa every Christmas asking him if I could own Avatar. He hasn't given me a reply. I think he's avoiding me...**

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******XIII Hours and the house**

**Chapter 1: 12 am**

_**12.02 am**_

"Come on, it's just a house."

"Well, that doesn't mean it isn't creepy."

Yea, the only word that can describe that house is creepy. It stands a little away from the roads of the Fire Nation capital, hidden behind a forest of trees. It was uninhabited for quite a long time. Although, Aang did remember hearing rumors about the house while he came here visiting Kuzon. Few people pass by the house. The rusty gates were pushed back, squeaking on its hinges. They looked up at the house. It was pretty big, with red bricks and dirty windows, which weren't broken. They could imagine some floral curtains being hung up. Three stone steps led up to the front door in the middle of the house. It was symmetrical, two large windows to the left and two to the right. You could just see the door opening and a happy family pour out into the front yard; behind the door, a maid sweeping the floor whilst smiling happily, a small boy playing with his ball, a little girl in a light blue dress, laughing merrily while their parents stood there in the doorway, smiling. And then they would walk off and the house would wither and darken, the paint coming off, the windows, dark holes that seemed to suck the light out from around it, the gray curtains just gray rags.

That was the point where most people thought better of it, their original plan of exploring the house suddenly evaporating. Turning around and leaving, they would spread the rumor that the house was haunted, that it was unsafe, best to keep well away from. And in the Fire Nation, when a place was labelled 'haunted', people stayed away.

Unless you were teens on a dare.

Yeah, that pretty much explains why Sokka and his friends were there. Sokka turned to his friends, "The spirit world is creepy. Koh is creepy. Facing the fire lord was creepy. But this, this house. Wow, saying it's creepy, really insults those three things, you know."

Katara frowned, "All those three things are dangerous."

Katara wasn't afraid. She was just having doubts about going into the house. "Aw, come on Katara. Don't tell me you're backing out on this."

"I'm not. But I'm just having second thoughts, that's all."

"Well, Aang is the bridge between the spirit world and ours. And besides, if anything was up, I'm sure you benders could handle it. And me. And Suki. I mean, just look, fan and sword. How much more protection do you need?"

It was true, thought Katara. She tried to put her doubts away, thinking that Aang, Zuko, and herself, with Suki and Sokka's newly-made space sword, could handle whatever that would come. Twenty four hours inside the house. Yeah, fun...

Some shouts came from outside the gates. Looks like Toph found some friends, Sokka thought, eyeing the people standing there. Toph was grinning sheepishly at her friends, who all seemed frozen to step inside the house. Aang still didn't care if he was the bridge between the worlds. There was no way he would set foot inside the house, after hearing all those stories about it. And most of all, he regretted telling Toph those stories. It was probably his fault Toph dared them to spend the whole day in the house. But there was no way he was going to tell his friends that.

But nonetheless, it was Sokka who made the bet. And if he didn't win, Toph assured him that she'll personally roast that chicken for Aang.

"Come on. Let's go inside," Sokka motioned the group to come in. Zuko slouched all the way in, although he was the first to enter. Aang swallowed when he passed the doors. _No meat, no meat, no meat..._

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_**12. 14**_

Toph felt her friends moving in the house. Man, they took such a long time just standing in front of that house.

She cared for her friends. That's why she did research on the house. Turns out, there hasn't been any ghost or spirit spotted at all. So unless they come running out of the house due to boredom, Toph would have all the meat she can get. And a field trip back home to see her parents. Though she dreaded it and didn't want to see them. She was still angry with them. But, since she had dared sweetness something sweet that would probably make her get a stroke, Toph too, had to face the consequences if she lost the bet.

So, thanks sweetness.. Toph muttered her thoughts.

But, Toph had formulated an ingenious plan. She smiled devilishly at the thought. Before the door closed in behind Katara, Toph called out, "Be sure to scream when you run out!"

Abruptly, there was a scream. It was Sokka. Toph panicked. If anything happened to anyone one of her friends, she would definately regret it. By the sound of the scream, some of the fire nation folks backed away, some running in terror, afraid to see what had made Sokka scream.

But as quickly as it came, the scream just stopped. It was replaced by a laughing Sokka, followed by the rest of the team. Sokka comically wiped a tear out from his eyes, looking at Toph's frustrated face. "Very funny," she called out, acknowledging their prank.

Sokka and the rest kept giggling and snickering. He looked back at Toph, locking eyes with her momentarily. But it wasn't frustration that covered her face. It was something else, a look of worry and fear. Sokka stopped laughing. Suddenly, he wasn't so sure they could win the bet.

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See that button there? It's the cute little button that says 'GO'. Yeah, could you do me a favour and press that? Thanks. **GO!**


End file.
